Zelma Watson George was the first Black graduate of Western Michigan College.
On an unspecified date in 1927, Zelma Watson George completed her bachelor's degree at Western Michigan College, becoming the first Black person to do so. George's accomplishment was remarkable not only for its academic rigor—she completed a four-year program in just three years—but also because it broke racial barriers in higher education at a time when such achievements were historically uncommon for African Americans. Her determination and intellectual prowess would serve as bedrocks for her future success across multiple disciplines.